About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

The Nina Ottosson Dog Tornado is an innovative and unique interactive dog toy that is both fun and mentally stimulating for any food-motivated dog.



Pros

• Mentally challenging and fun
• Slobber-resistant and easy to clean by hand
• Durable, resists wear
• Can be used for meals to slow down fast eaters

Cons

• Somewhat expensive (avg price $49.99)
• Claims to be dishwasher proof, but does not come apart for loading

Description

• Has twelve food compartments stacked in three tiers that spin apart
• Dog must figure out how to rotate the tiers and search for treats
• Comes with 3 bone-shaped compartment covers that can be used to increase difficulty
• Constructed of durable, high-quality blue plastic
• Wooden version also available (at a higher cost)
• Just one in a line of similar interactive toys designed by Nina Ottoson

Guide Review - Product Review: Nina Ottosson Dog Tornado

The Nina Ottosson Dog Tornado is one of the more original dog toys on the market. Perfect for food-motivated dogs, the Dog Tornado is a a game of problem-solving "brain exercise". It's ready to use right out of the box and self-explanatory, but it also comes with an instructional booklet.

I began by using the Dog Tornado in basic mode. I placed a small bite of tasty, stinky treats in each of the 12 compartments and lined the tiers up so none of the compartments were open. Naturally, my highly food motivated dog knew what I was doing and became overjoyed.

The instructions explain how you can show your dog what to do, but I decided to see what she could figure out on her own first. I placed the Dog Tornado on the floor and told her to go for it. Within seconds, she realized she needed to turn the tiers to expose the treats. Every time she though the food was gone, she'd discover more. It only took her about two or three minutes to find all the food, but it was clear she was having the time of her life. It was entertaining for me, too.

Next, I stepped up the challenge by placing the white bone-shaped covers on some of the compartments, which drove her crazy (in a good way). Because it was so difficult for her to pick up the covers, it took much longer to eat all the goodies. She also got creative, using her paws and mouth together. At one point, she was able to flip off one cover using her toenail (I think it was accidental). She finally resorted to flipping the whole toy over, successfully exposing all leftover food.

Since then, I have used the Dog Tornado often. I have fed some of her meals in it, doubling the amount of time it usually takes her to eat. This makes the Dog Tornado great for dogs that like to gulp their food. As an extra-special treat, I have tried filling each compartment with a tiny amount of canned food or peanut butter. She loved these even more, and the fun lasted much, much longer. Bottom line, if she sees me with the Dog Tornado, she can hardly contain her excitement.

Overall, this is a great toy for any dog that loves food. It is appropriate for dogs of all sizes and ages and should last a long time. As a precaution, you should not leave your dog unattended with this toy, although the product seems very safe and nearly indestructible. To me, there are only two downsides of the Dog Tornado: First, at a cost of nearly $50, it's rather expensive for a dog toy. Second, the box states that the product is dishwasher-proof, but it does not seem to come apart to fit in the dishwasher, not to mention clean all the compartments. That's not a big problem, though, because it is pretty easy to hand wash. The slimy slobber residue washes off better that it does on other toys and bowls.

If the Dog Tornado seems perfect for your dog, and you don't mind the price tag, consider getting one for your pooch. Then, come back here and tell us what you think. If you have already tried the Dog Tornado, you can share your opinion right now.